Important Dates:
February
4 Schools and Offices closed for Special Election Day (see below)
6 Math Parent Night, grades 3-5 – 6:15-8:15 p.m. (Rescheduled from 1/23)
7 FRES Culture Fest - 6:30 p.m.
11 PTA Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
17 Presidents' Day - Schools and Offices Closed
20 FRES Science Fair - 6:30 p.m.
Items of Note:
From the FRES Administration...
It’s been a wonderful couple of weeks of teaching and learning at FRES! We are so proud of the accomplishments of our amazing students. Congratulations to Madhav P. (Grade 5)! He is the 2020 FRES Spelling Bee Winner. Zoya R. (Grade 5) is our Runner Up. Our FRES Spellers completed 8 rounds and were able to spell some really challenging words. The winning word was "contaminated." Madhav will represent Forest Ridge at the HCPSS Spelling Bee at Oakland Mills High School on March 21, Snow Day March 22nd.
We would also like to congratulate our Music Team, Mrs. DeOrio, Mrs. Yeager, Mrs. Patterson, and Mrs. Bauman. Our concerts were amazing and the students performed so well. Way to Go FRES!
Also, thanks to our Media Team on a great Book Club this past week. The discussions were rich and the students and parents were so excited to share their knowledge of The Season of Styx Malone. We can’t wait for our next Book Club in the spring.
Have a great long weekend!
Forest Ridge News...
Parents, We Need Your Help
Winter Recess Guidelines
Students go out for recess if the temperature including wind chill is 20 degrees or higher. Please be sure your child is prepared for the cold.
Watch DOGS
Many thanks to Mr. Acey, Mr. Lortz, and Mr. Schlesiger, who came in this week to serve as our Watch DOGS!
Attention Parents of Fifth Grade Students
All current Forest Ridge 5th graders are districted to Patuxent Valley Middle School. We assume they will attend PVMS unless we hear otherwise. If you have not already done so, please contact Mrs. Jackson (rebecca_jackson@hcpss.org) if your child will not be attending PVMS. It's very important that we have this information to ensure a smooth transition to middle school.
Schools Closed on February 4, 2019
Schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, due to the special primary election to fill the 7th congressional district seat vacated following the passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings.
From the Media Center
Upcoming reading initiatives presented by the Reading/Media Team:
January/ February 2020
Howard County Public Library will be visiting the 2nd and 3rd grades to present their program about fairy tales and tall tales.
March /April 2020 Reading Night
March is our annual reading month. This year's theme is Reading Rumble. Many activities are planned including:
May
Hello FRES families!
We’ve got the perfect event tonight to relax and ease your way into the weekend! Tonight’s Movie Night features “Abominable” from 7-9 p.m. and it’s absolutely free!! Concessions will be available for purchase. Children must be accompanied by adults!
Do you have games that you can donate to FRES? The PTA is helping FRES replenish supplies of indoor activities and board games to use during indoor recess. Uno, Connect 4, Head Bandz, checkers, Trouble, Junior Monopoly - to name just a few examples! All games in good shape are welcome! We’ll be collecting the games at Movie Night and through January 31st. Feel free to drop off games from 7-9pm even if you’re not staying for Movie Night! Thank you for supporting FRES!!
See you at Movie Night and have a great weekend!
Khaleda Hasan, FRES PTA President
More from the PTA
Box Tops
FRES should be receiving a check from Box Tops this month in the amount of $545.20. Please keep using the Box Top app and scanning your receipts within 14 days of purchase. Also, please keep clipping and sending in the remaining Box Tops out there on products. Send in a baggie or envelope with your child's name and teacher names Box Tops are worth 10 cents each and they add up quickly. Thank you!
Culture Fest
Mark your calendars for this year’s 2nd Annual Culture Fest on Friday, February 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m! We’re partnering with the school to put together this wonderful event that highlights the incredible diversity we have at FRES and gives everyone a chance to learn more about each other through activities, food, music, and display boards. Last year we had 40+ families representing 28 different countries and cultures! This year we’re adding performances!!
Look for flyers coming home to sign up to participate or contribute in any number of ways. Or simply go on line and fill out the Culture Fest Registration! You can use the Google form to simply sign up to let us know you’ll be attending. Please contact Khaleda Hasan at president@frespta.org if you’d like to be on the planning committee.
Dad’s Club
Dad's Club held a successful night at the Wizards and they even won! :) We had 65 people come and a great time was had by all! We will be taking a break until warmer weather, when we look to schedule a baseball game and a soccer game. Stay tuned!
FRES Family Fit Night
Join Forest Ridge Elementary School and the PTA along with Power Fit and Rise Up Nutrition for a FRES Family Fit Night. Come in out of the cold for a night of Family Wellness and Activities! It’s time for the FREE Forest Ridge Family Wellness Event! Join other FRES families on Wednesday, January 22, from 6:15-8:15pm. Highlighted Stations to include: Kid Friendly Boot Camp, Martial Arts, Zumba, Core Workout, Yoga, Parent Nutritional Workshop, and Wellness Tables. A Parent or Guardian MUST ACCOMPANY children. While participation is NOT mandatory, we ask that Parents and students come dressed to exercise together! All Fitness Levels Welcome! Registration is not required.
Red Robin Restaurant Night
What is better than not having to cook?!? Not having to cook, meeting friends, AND supporting FRES PTA 5th Grade Activities all at the same time!! Join other FRES families at Red Robin in Columbia Crossing on Thursday, January 30 from 5-9pm. Remember to bring your flyer and FRES PTA and the 5th Grade Committee will benefit. This is a chance to pay it forward, as each year 5th grade has many activities to commemorate their 6 years at FRES.
Membership
Student Directories are here!! As a bonus of PTA membership, PTA members receive a hard copy of the Student Directory created by the FRES PTA. It’s one of the easiest ways to get information to reach out to FRES families to set up playdates or send party invitations directly. It’s not too late to sign up for PTA membership and receive a hard copy of the Student Directory! If you signed up for your PTA membership and have not received a directory yet, please contact Khaleda Hasan at president@frespta.org.
Please note that the Directory information was pulled from Family File two months ago and it only contains information IF parents give permission to share it. For the most up-to-date information reflecting additions to Family File and changes to classroom assignments, please check online. This year, student directory information is available to all parents/guardians online through HCPSS Connect under the Family File/Student Directory tab on the left.
Skate Night
We had a fun night at the roller rink on January 10th. We had 94 skaters turn out to help us raise $294!! Eddie the Eagle made a special appearance on the skate floor. Thanks to everyone for their continued support.
Our next event is ice skating at the Garden's Ice House on Friday, February 21 from 7:50-9:20pm. For this event, tickets are $8, skates included. You can purchase wrist bands directly from the PTA - look for the PTA table to the left of the check-in counter. Cash only please - if you forget there is an on-site ATM.
Community News...
Please visit the Community News and Programs webpage for all announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations. Organizations requesting distribution to Public Information at 410-313-6682 or publicinfo@hcpss.org.
Have a wonderful weekend!